Madison Square Realty is the third owner of the long-empty lot (since 2009) in the past eight years. Madison Realty Capital paid Opal Holdings $31.3 million for the property in May 2020. Opal Holdings bought the parcel in June 2016 from Brooklyn's Rabsky Group for $23 million.
Plans for a 15-floor mixed-use building had already been approved, though no affordable units were attached to that version. As revealed in the spring of 2021, several developers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying the city for NYCHA air rights to make this a larger structure with more housing. Plans for the larger development were first unveiled in June 2022.
The plywood rendering lists a February 2026 completion date.
The status of 642 E. 14th St. next door seems to be in limbo. In July, the owner of No. 642 filed plans to demolish the currently vacant pre-war building.
According to Crain's New York, Jeremy Lebewohl, owner of the Second Avenue Deli, filed the paperwork with the Department of Buildings (DOB) on July 10.
Last November, as we first reported, No. 642's residents — many in rent-stabilized units — were abruptly vacated after excavation next door destabilized the building.
According to the Department of Buildings, "Structural stability of building compromised due to construction operations at 644 E. 14th Street. Heavy cracks in the exterior and interior in addition to separation noted at door frames and floor from wall..."
Lebewohl's attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey, told Crain's that "multiple engineers have now said the building is dangerous and needs to be torn down entirely."
According to a spokesperson in July, the DOB was reviewing the application but had yet to issue an emergency demolition order for the property, per Crain's.
As of Friday, the request for a demolition permit remained "on hold," per DOB records.
7 comments:
Along the theme of EV Grieve. I'm tired of seeing the whole of Manhattan turning into Midtown. Is there a limit to beneficial growth? Manhattan losing its soul and character. RIP EV.
Investigate https://www.humanscale.nyc/ and consider getting involved with that group!
Non-profit law firm representing the displaced tenants of 642 E. 14th Street have hired an independent engineer to see if the Lebewohl's engineer/s are being on the level (no pun intended)...
I'm not a NIMBY, but this building leaves a bad taste in my mouth after what happened to the next door building.
Imagine getting locked out of your apartment you've lived in for over a decade. Of course that building is part of a row of buildings that definitely were built in a way that relied on buildings being next to them... so let's hope that if and when they demolish it, they do it correctly this time.
Also, this new building kept getting taller and taller with every new plan.
Why is this pushed back from the street-wall?!?!? This city needs to do something about that zoning issue. It leave ugly gaps that are completely unnecessary.
Is "state of the art" really necessary when saying there will be a gym? Would anyone think that in a new building maybe a 1970's gym would be installed?
I live a building away from site. They start at 7 and go to 5. The noise is really unbearable, even with the windows closed and AC running. it's particularly loud on mornings. They even work some Saturdays!
Post a Comment